In the same year that Cade and I broke Thirty and Pegan to ride, before the cows came home from the range that fall, we were having trouble with cows leaving the range and grazing in the hayfield above the state line.
One evening around dusk, Dad saw a bunch of cows in the field and asked Cade and me to go push them back on the range. Cade and I had been training Thirty and Pegan to ride bareback. We went out to the corral and caught them. Because it was getting dark, we did not take the time to put saddles on them.
We rode up the canyon and pushed the cows back toward the range. It ended up being about 20 head of cows. When we got close to the forest gate, one of us rode up and opened the gate. Then, we pushed the cows back on the range.
Just then, a coyote howled from the top of the hill. This is the closest I have ever been in my life when a coyote howled. It sent chills up my spine. It sounded like the coyote was about 10 feet behind us. I looked at Cade, he had chills as well. I was scared! Cade was scared!
We looked into each other's eyes. Then we both immediately turned our horses and started for the house at a dead run. We did not even close the gate to the range.
As I write this story, I can feel the chills going up my back and neck again.
THAT was the most scared I have ever been in my life.
I do not remember if we went back the next morning to close the gate to the range ... I hope we did.
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